I like flea markets and power tools, parties and pillows. I’m a mommy and a decorator, and a diehard DIYer. Join me and my little family as we renovate our new (old) home with lots of love and plenty of elbow grease.

Two's a Collection

I found this vintage gouache painting a year or two ago at an antique store called Granny's Attic in New Jersey (the same trip I picked up those bergeres that I did an upholstery series on).

I wanted to hang it in or around the girls room, but it just always felt lonely or something (can art look lonely??), so it stayed tucked up on a shelf for a while. Until I found another vintage gouache at the flea market. This one is by a different artist, and obviously the subject matter is completely different (fish!), but I LOVE how they work together. Harmony in the busy-ness of the patterns.

They are living in the hallway right in front of the girls' bathroom/bedroom. I think it's fun for the art to get a little more child-like in the common areas where the kids spend a lot of time.

My son used to say diccifult for difficult and I still smile about that. Now he is in college and I love asking him how things are and if he is finding it diccifult or ez~Part of being a Mom is loving our kids and all the collections of words and creations~pve

What kids call things always make me smile my daughter called catsup, chechchup and a bikini her kapini! The hall area leading to your girls room is colorful yet sophisticated, absolutely beautiful! Random question have you ever done a post on your photography? It's always great!

We're just renting now (in a non-pet place), but I'm not really the pet-owner type... so maybe I should find that "Quarium" so my kids can have one too! :)

Tangentially, I LOVE your blog. Immensely. It has inspired me to get off my duff and get SO many projects done (and my house and creative pride thank you)! You have spectacular taste, and I love that you don't spend a fortune decorating. You are truly an inspiration. Thank you.

Although I love seeing the impressive DIY projects you work on, I really enjoy the little things you've been posting lately, like the ribbon-trim lampshade and this art pairing. It's all about how the small things you do can make a big impact on a room.

I'm over-the-moon happy to see what looks like a framed piece of child's art propped up on that chest in one photo. Brilliant style-wise and parenting-wise. What blessed children you have. I'm sure you feel perfectly human, but you have such a lot figured out that so many less-fulfilled people do not. Thanks for the virtue of your priorities.

Anna Louisa - That's a tole mirror! I LOVE it!! I picked it up at a vintage furniture store in Arizona that was closing down. $20! One of my favorite finds. I have a post coming up where you'll be able to see the mirror a little closer, but I also had a post a couple months ago about the mushroom lamp, where you can see the mirror.xoxo

Isil - It's a reproduction Dorothy Draper Espana chest. I got it for free in Delaware at Dixon's furniture auction! Total score. :) You can see some better shots of it in our last bedroom (in the loft). There's a post about our coral velvet headboard that shows the full chest better. xo

So, so sweet of you to say about my photography. I think I am completely horrible at it, so I really appreciate the vote of confidence! I use an old-as-dirt DSLR Nikon D70 and I just mess around with the settings until the color and the light look close enough. I've learned a bit of photoshop on my own too and I use that sometimes to play with the levels and the color balance.

Nicole Hill Gerulat has some amazing online photography classes that I totally recommend. And Young House Love recently did a post on Photoshop tweaking that shared a lot of the same moves I use.